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Vida C. Farris, Vivian I. Lemke

Vida C. Farris

Vida Christine (nee Hansen) Farris, 86, of Tomah, died Monday, Sept. 28, 2009, at her residence at the Cranberry Court in Tomah. She was born May 7, 1923, to Soren and Carrie (Holm) Hansen in Wyeville, WI. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Shennington. She attended the Mayflower Grade School that served much of the Wyeville and Shenningtion areas. Vida graduated from Tomah High School in 1941. She was united in marriage to John Farris in April of 1946 in Tennessee. He preceded her in death. John and Vida moved to Dayton, OH, while John fulfilled his military duties. Vida later settled down in New Carlisle, OH, where she started her career working for General Motors Corp. She worked there for 35 years. In 1996 Vida moved back to Tomah to spend time with her family.

Vida is survived by a sister, Viola Jensen of Eagan, MN; a niece, Evelyn (LaVern) Stenseth of Minneapolis, MN; three nephews, DeWitt (Lillian) Zimmerman of Tomah, Eldon (Geraldine) Sonnenburg of Delafield and Bruce (Susan) Jensen of Minneapolis, MN; many grand-nieces and grand-nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband John; a brother Harold; four sisters, Hazel Sonnenburg, Julia Zimmerman, Evelyn Zimmerman and an infant sister, Sylvia; a niece and nephew, Esther and Howard Jensen; four brothers-in-law, Richard Sonnenburg, Arthur Zimmerman, Leo Zimmerman, and Chris Jensen, and a niece-in-law, Gretchen Sonnenburg.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 11 a.m. at the Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home, Tomah. Pastor Curt S. Backhaus officiated. Burial was in St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery in the Town of Byron. Following the committal service, there was a funeral luncheon at the Tee Pee Supper Club, 812 Superior Ave. Relatives and friends called at the funeral home on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until time of the service.

Vivian I. Lemke

Vivian I. Lemke, age 80, of Tomah, passed away on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, at Tomah Memorial Hospital. She was born on Feb. 14, 1929, to Thomas and Sophia (Rehberg) Welch.

She was united in marriage to Ernest Mlodzik and later to Laurence Lemke.

She is survived by her daughter, Karen (Bob) Hotchkiss of Milwaukee; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Jason (Kristina) Hotchkiss and their son Acoya Hotchkiss, Jennifer Hotchkiss and her son Michael Carter and Adam Hotchkiss; siblings Alice Kersten of Tomah, Helen Marzo of Sussex, WI, Patricia (Larry) Jessen of Camp Douglas, Norman Welch of Saukville, Shirley (Harold) Swan of Milwaukee and LeRoy (Monica) Welch of Powers, MI; sisters-in-law, Doris Welch of Tomah, Betty Welch of Butler and Alice Walker of Naperville, IL, and brother-in-law, Joseph Ripple; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by Karen’s father, Ernest; her second husband, Laurence Lemke; brothers, Roland, Eugene, Howard and John Welch; and a sister, Myrtle Ripple.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 12 p.m. at the Torkelson Funeral Home in Tomah. Pastor Jay Cronholm will officiate. Family and friends are invited for visitation on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until the time of service at the funeral home. The Torkelson Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Online condolences are available at www.torkelsonfuneralhome.com.